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South Iceland

From the most fertile farmland in Iceland to barren plains of black sand, the flat expanses of South Iceland are hemmed in by high mountains, cliffs and waterfalls and feature the country’s most famous glaciers and volcanoes. The ‘fire and ice’ epithet is nowhere more applicable than South Iceland…

You can count all the towns and villages in South Iceland on your fingers. The western part of the southern region is extremely fertile and boasts a huge number of farms and the lion’s share of the settlements…some of them far inland by Icelandic standards. Flúðir, Laugarvatn, Hella and Hveragerði are all blessed with geothermal heat and, as a result, famous for their flowers, fruit and vegetables. The southwest is the breadbasket of Iceland. Also in the southwest is the town of Selfoss: by far the biggest town in the South and home to all the shops and services you could need.

Despite being offshore, we haven’t forgotten the spectacular Westman Islands. They have their own article for you to read, here.

The church in Selfoss.

Next up is Vík, a small cliff-top town known for its woollen goods, for being the southernmost settlement in the country, for its pretty church, the nearby sea stacks and for being the rainiest town in the country. The black sand beaches in this area are allegedly some of the most beautiful in the whole world and the waves can break with awe inspiring force – and that’s because there’s no land between here and Antarctica.

Höfn í Hornafirði.

In the far southeast of Iceland is the chilled out town of Höfn; chilled out both because of the proximity to Europe’s biggest glacier, and also the laid back pace of life. In the great expanse between Höfn and Vík lie only a few farms, the tiny village of Kirkjubæjarklaustur…and some of the most mind-alteringly beautiful scenery in the world.